How would you punish bike thieves?

or maybe we could just let em off with it..........like the soft lefty shytes on here would.......

Ah, bless...

Personally, I'd want to look into reasons why they feel the need to steal bicycles, and address the underlying problems which drive them to crime. By using empathy and organising outdoor activity holidays and go-karting to help them to open up and discuss their issues, I'd hope to seek opportunities for their effective rehabilitation, so that they can go on to have a positive future, rather than feeling alienated and disenfranchised. Because ultimately, it's not their fault; they're victims of their circumstances. Nurture, not Punishment.

I often wonder how many thieves read forums like this. Mrs T tells me that a she read about a thief in the papers (I think, from memory, he came from Bristol) who used to follow cars home from Afan. If that sort of thing goes on, they're going to get pictures of bikes, rides, the lot from here.
That said, life's too short to worry about things like that. Now where are my jump leads again.....

Actually, talking about this at work today. A colleague had his bike stolen (Marin commuter type) & his brother who is a taxi driver saw it being ridden around by a teenage lad.
When caught & questioned the kid said he'd bought it, bu couldn't really say who from or where from. Colleague ended up buying the bike back off the kid!

Personally i'd have been tempted to 'pay' him with a hammer blow to each kneecap - but that's just me.

I know someone who carried some thick plastic cable ties with him after he previously caught a mugger and ended up having to let him go as the 'mob' weren't taking to kindly to his citizen's arrest. His new plan was cable tie ing the scum to a lamp post and reporting his location to the police.